This invention relates to an automatic performance device such as a sequencer or an automatic rhythm performance device and, more particularly, to an automatic performance device having a data changing function for changing expression of performance as desired or in plural steps during an automatic performance.
In conventional automatic performance devices, performance data is stored in the order of performance and this performance data is sequentially read out and a tone corresponding to this performance data is generated at a predetermined timing.
When a human being plays a music, expression of performance is different each time he plays the same score for the reason that his feeling changes as the performance progresses or that he reacts to reaction of audience. For example, depending upon the performance situation, the position of accent and performance timings which can be expressed by terms "delayed-play" and "rush-play" change each time and this expands expression of the music. This expansion of expression is a benefit of a live performance.
In the conventional automatic performance devices, however, similarly to playback of a recorded music, recorded contents are reproduced precisely each time, so that they are incapable of performing an extemporaneous expression of feeling as in a live performance and hence the automatic performance made by the conventional devices tends to become monotonous.
For eliminating such monotonousness in the automatic performance by the conventional automatic performance devices, some improvements have been proposed. In the specification of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 2-131292, for example, there is disclosed a device in which not only basic performance data but also change control for changing tone characteristics or tone generation timing thereof are stored in a memory, the basic performance data and the change control data are read from the memory as the automatic performance progresses, and the tone generation timing or the tone characteristics such as velocity in the basic performance data is changed on the basis of the read out change control data. In this prior art automatic performance device, change sequence for the change control data is previously programmed in correspondence to an automatic performance sequence and, therefore, there is no consideration for causing the player's feeling to be reflected freely on an automatic performance in real time performance with a result that the automatic performance still remains unsatisfactory in extemporaneous expression of the player's feeling.